By Justin Whitaker
— Wet weather conditions washed out the 58th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Auto-Plus at Lucas Oil Raceway today.
The fallout of Hurricane Isaac caused the rescheduling of the traditional Labor Day race to Sept. 8-9 after track action was rained out Sunday and Monday.
“The persistent weather has affected the racing surface and we have chosen to make the tough decision to postpone the race until next weekend,” said Graham Light, NHRA senior vice president racing operations in a press release. “We are planning to run the remainder of the event next weekend on Saturday and Sunday.”
Tickets from Sunday, Sept. 2, will be honored Saturday, Sept. 8 and tickets from Monday, Sept. 3, will be honored Sunday, Sept. 9.
The drag strip will reopen Saturday for two qualifying sessions in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing categories— Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle. All eliminations will take place on Sunday.
The Funny Car NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout will also run Saturday with the winner earning a $100,000 bonus prize.
On Saturday, Sept. 1, Top Fuel driver Spencer Massey took home the $100,000 prize for winning Traxxas Nitro Shootout along with the No. 1 qualifying position.
Other drivers qualifying in the pole position for their classes was Courtney Force (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle).
Massey is looking for his fourth top qualifying position of the season and seventh of his career.
If Force holds onto the top spot through Saturday’s qualifying, it will be the first No.1 qualifying position of her career. She ran a career best e.t. of 4.049 seconds at 317.27 mph to take the Funny Car qualifying lead Saturday.
Enders holds the top position in the Pro Stock class for the first time at the U.S. Nationals and it would be her second consecutive No. 1 starting slot if she holds on to the spot.
If Hines retains the top position in Pro Stock Motorcycle, it will be the second year in a row and fourth time of his career he holds the No. 1 spot at Indianapolis.
Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing series and the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Series will also resume qualifying on Sept. 8 along with the rest of the sportsmen eliminations.
